Here are some new photos of Tom Hardy yesterday in London, leaving the Soho Hotel. He looks scruffy and hot, doesn’t he? I don’t even mind the gigantic cross necklace. He looks like the kind of dude I would see on the street and think, “UNF.”

Tom continues to sign on for a wide variety of work – he’s one of the most in-demand actors working today. Which is pretty awesome, especially when you consider that Justin Timberlake also works really consistently (ugh). Wouldn’t you rather see Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Fassbender in every film, as opposed to Justin Timberlake? Because those are literally your only choices!! Anyway, I’d heard the rumor about Tom maybe being interested in playing “the young Elton John” in a possible Elton bio-pic, and it’s looking like it’s really close to happening:

FilmDistrict is nearing a deal to acquire U.S. rights to Rocketman, the Michael Gracey-directed biographical musical film about Sir Elton John. The script is by Billy Elliot‘s Lee Hall, and Tom Hardy is circling to play the lead role. This film was the talk of Cannes, where it was shopped by UTA, which structured the financing.

The film follows John’s journey from 5-year old musical prodigy who by age 11 won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, to a young man who rebelled against his strict upbringing, wore outrageous costumes and became a global icon who teamed with songwriter Bernie Taupin to sell more records than just about any musical artist of his era. John’s musical catalog is part of the mix, so this is going to be a major film. Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish are producing the project along with Lawrence Bender for AI Film. Sir Elton John and Access Industries’ Len Blavatnik are executive producing the film, along with Icon/AI Film CEO Aviv Giladi and FilmDistrict CEO Schlessel.

“Everyone knows and loves Elton John’s music, but the true story of his life is so incredible that it can only be described as a fantasy,” Gracey said, when I wrote about this project after I reported that he became the director. “His journey from impossible dreamer to stardom and uncontrollable excess is something only a musical film can capture, and I’m so excited to be the one to tell his story.”

They are searching to cast the child Elton John, and that search is being conducted by Jessica Ronane, whose credits include Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Billy Elliott The Musical and Matilda. The hope is that Hardy will take over that role in adulthood, with CAA repping him.

[From Yahoo]

If Elton John is executive producing it and handing over his catalog, you know Elton is going to try to find the hottest, most talented person to play his younger self. Oddly enough, you would think that Justin Timberlake would be up for this, RIGHT? I’m not even joking. Remember the music video for “This Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore”? Ha. But I guess when it comes down to the line, Elton wanted a proper actor who can play pathos and emotion and addiction, someone like Tom Hardy. Plus, Tom is WAY CUTE. I bet Elton is really looking forward to this.

Also, Tom is reportedly attached to take the lead in a film adaptation of the video game Splinter Cell. Tom will be playing “Sam Fisher, a highly-trained special operative in a fictional black-ops sub-division, ‘Echelon’. Sam Fisher and the agents of Echelon utilize combat skills, weapons and cutting-edge gadgets to neutralize international terrorist threats and rogue forces in modern, realistic stories ripped from the headlines.” Sounds very Jason Bourne-ish. And I bet Tom will be really good at that.

Photos courtesy of WENN.